William Echikson
William Echikson is the author of three books, worked for more than two and a half decades as a journalist and directs European Union communications for Google. He began his career in...
William Echikson's Notebook:
Moselle tasting notes
The Moselle’s wine-growing center is the charming medieval village of Bernkastel-Kues, located between Trier and Koblenz and surrounded by vines. The village is home to most of the region’s best wine estates featuring such names as Dr. Loosen, J.J. Prum, Fritz Haag and Weingut Monchof. In the nearby Saar Valley, look for wines made by Egon Mueller, Schloss Saarstein and Weingut Van Volxem.
Here are some leading names in the Moselle revival:
1. Weingut Koenen: Am Eichhaus 4 A 54518 Minheim, Mosel. Tel.: 49 65 07 93 99 70; email: ck-weine@web.de
Although little known outside of the Moselle, Koenen’s wines exhibit bright, citrus flavors combined with a mellow, welcoming and lingering finish.
2. Weingut Dr. Loosen, St. Johannishof, 54470 Bernkastel-Kues, Tel: 49-65-31-34-26
Ernst Loosen makes a broad variety of Rieslings and exports all over the world. His less expensive bottles are sourced from other grape growers, but they, too, are excellent. A Loosen trademark is a zesty, zingy attack followed by a fruity fresh finish. These are sophisticated wines that also quench your thirst.
3. Weingut Theo Grumbach, Moselstrasse 32, 54470 Lieser, Tel: 49-65-31-22-31
Like Christoph Koenen, Grumbach is not yet a big name and the wines weren't as crisp or fresh as some of the other Moselle wines in the tasting. But they were flavorful, with a sophisticated mix of lemon, mango and passion fruit, and were budget priced.
4. Weingut St. Urbans-Hof, Urbanusstrasse 16, 54340 Leiwen, Tel: 49-65-07-93-770
This estate, located close to Trier, is a real comer. It produces elegant, well-structured wines in between the Loosen spritzy style and the more rounded Koenen wines. Expect a bright start followed by a balanced finish, with plenty of exotic fruit flavors in between.
5. Weingut Monchof, Monchhof, 54539 Urzig, Tel: 49-65-32-93-164
Housed in a former Cistercian abbey a few miles from Bernkastel-Kues, this estate's wines are light and flavorful like the Loosen varietals, with the addition of some exotic spices.
Use this map to navigate the Moselle:
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